1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the package opening art, and, more particularly, to an improved inexpensive cutter for slicing open sealed packages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The development of new packaging materials, such as, for example, thin film plastics and new techniques for applying such new materials to various types of packages, such as, for example, cellophane shrink fit and heat seal of thin film plastics, has enabled the packaging industry to provide a comparatively inexpensive outer covering to many types of packages. The covering is transparent so the contents thereof may be seen, is comparatively tough and abrasive-resistant to resist normal wear and tear, to minimize damaging the contents of the package and comparatively close-fitting around the package. Such packaging arrangements have many advantages. For example, they tend to reduce breakage of the contents of the package, they provide an attractive looking outer covering which still lets the contents be seen, and, because of the toughness of such films, tends to prevent either employee theft or shoplifting of the contents of the package. That is, the thin film plastics have proven to be comparatively difficult to tear open surreptitiously to allow the contents to be removed. While such tough, thin film plastic coverings are beneficial to the manufacturer, distributor and retailer, for the reasons above noted, they have often proven to be very inconvenient to open by the ultimate retail purchaser.
Such packaging is, as noted above, difficult to tear open and, in general, requires some form of a pointed or bladed tool such as a knife or the like to provide an initial cut or tear in the thin film plastic. However, many people, including comparatively young people and comparatively old people have difficulty in inserting conventional knives, scissor-blades, or the like, into such thin film plastic coverings without a high degree of risk of cutting themselves during the operation.
One industry, in particular, that has utilized such close fitting, heat-sealed, thin film plastic outer coverings for their product has been the recording industry, wherein phonograph records, eight track tapes, tape cassettes, and the like, are provided with such an outer covering. In this field, not only has the retail purchaser of such products encountered difficulty in removing the plastic coverings from the products, but also many retailers who must open a plurality of such packages for utilization in their various retail establishments have also encountered such difficulties.
Thus, there has long been a need for a safe, effective and comparatively inexpensive tool for cutting open the outer coverings of various packages, and, in particular, the thin film, close-fitting plastic, or other, outer coverings.